Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Photos: Angry Plebes Protest Banks, Bloomberg As Wall Street Swells Sip Champagne
By
Christopher Robbins
Published May 13, 2011
Modified May 13, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
View all 13
By
Christopher Robbins
Published May 13, 2011
Modified May 13, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Did your mimosa taste a tad sour yesterday? In the crisp mid-afternoon light, lower Manhattan saw thousands of union members, concerned citizens, and their children gather to protest the imminent firing of 4,100 teachers, the Bloomberg administration, and Wall Street's exploitation of government to the detriment of the lower and middle class. Heady subjects for such a gorgeous, apathy-inspiring afternoon, the rally's tone was not one of rage but of stirring confidence that the participants' voices would be heard. Despite whatever was on the bull's balls, anarchy was not in the air.
"This third term is just not doing it for those of us who run New York City," Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said to a sea of signs portraying the mayor as a rodent. "They take money from the people and give it to these private contractors, it's not right!" Following an introduction from UFT head Michael Mulgrew and a James Brownian segue from the house band, the Reverend Al Sharpton arrived to blast the "teacher annihilation" that was happening in the city, noting that it is always those who work the hardest who have to bear the brunt of economic downturn: "We're told 'times are hard.' We've always understood 'times are hard.' No one understands that better than us."
As the mass marched from City Hall down into the bowels of the financial district, children mingled with a brass band that played protest hymns to the tune of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance." Tom, an adjunct professor at Columbia who brought his daughter Hannah to the protest, said they were marching because "Bloomberg is getting rid of thousands of teachers, and this is clearly a huge concern for me and should be a huge concern for everyone."
Chants of "Fair Share!" swelled up William Street as Sharpton, Stringer, Mulgrew and Comptroller John Liu locked arms and led the protestors towards the Stock Exchange. On 55 Wall Street at the ostentatious Cipriani club guests milled about the terrace overhead until one man in the crowd screamed "Hey! Hey! Millionaire! Why don't you pay your fair share?!" After briefly looking down at their champagne flutes, they shuffled back into "the world's most sought-after social experience."
Tagged
al sharpton
banks
john liu
mayor bloomberg
michael bloomberg
rev al sharpton
scott stringer
seiu
Teacher Layoffs
unions
United Federations of Teachers
wall street
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC tow companies busted for ripping off drivers must give $67K in refunds, city says
Mayor Mamdani has expanded enforcement on towing scams, but the unlicensed towing industry remains largely unregulated.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Oct 2, 2026 at 4:47 p.m. ET
Off-duty NYPD officer stabbed in the Bronx, police say
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Commissioner Jessica Tisch visited the officer in the hospital.
By
Ryan Kost
News
Off-duty NYPD officer stabbed in the Bronx, police say
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Commissioner Jessica Tisch visited the officer in the hospital.
By
Ryan Kost
DOC negligence factored in death at Rikers' Bellevue hospital outpost, jail officials say
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Conductor on NYC subway that dragged man to death may have skipped safety check, source says
By
Stephen Nessen
NYPD still searching for man who threw burning substance on victim in East Harlem
By
Ryan Kost
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .